▶ Touching The Wind (Roaming Alchemists/ Book Two)

Chapter Three

BRINGING BACK THE DEAD WASN’T MALCHRIANT’S FIRST PLAN.

He had planned a shopping spree with his nine year old daughter, he’d planned to buy his wife, Patricia and beautiful golden ring for their tenth anniversary. He didn’t plan to awaken zombie-like creatures from the dead. 

The three-hundred and sixty year old Alchemist could hardly move the chair in his kitchen without sweating bullets, who thought merely him touching a dead person would get them back on their feet. Nevertheless; the hunters discovered him. 

He’d been taking his daughter to her first sleepover, she’d looked so cute in her little pink dress, she was carrying a pillow that was almost as big as her, as they walked up the steps, Malchriant kissed her goodbye and waved her off as he stepped down the steps, and he found car missing. 

He knew he’d parked it right there. 

“Hello Malchriant.” A largely built black hunter said from behind a towering oak tree. He had a massive gun strapped around his hips, and it hung and reached his knees. Malchriant looked back at the house his daughter would be in, and his knees felt weak. 

“Please, not here. My daughter is inside....” he said, his voice cracking hopelessly as he took another look at the yellow house, it seemed so far away now. Out of his reach. 

He swallowed what seemed like a rock embedded in his throat and closed his eyes. 

The hunter coughed, “I believe we have a misunderstanding, Malchriant. I’m not here to harm you. Merely to make you an offer.” 

Malchriant was still sweating as he crossed his arms, “An offer?” 

The hunter nodded and motioned for Malchriant to step under the shade of the tree, he took a couple steps forward and leaned against the tree, he felt a spider crawl up his arm. Despite being three hundred and two, he screamed like a little girl and flailed around trying to get the spider off. 

The hunter crossed his arms, and the gleam of his cleverly placed gun made Malchriant freeze. 

“Malchriant, we’re offering you a position, you must not decline.” 

“So this is not an offer.” 

“Oh, it is our offer, Malchriant.” 

“If I decline...” Malchriant said crossing his arms. Trying not to look at the house his daughter was in. If only he could call Patricia, tell her that Issy was in trouble, and to pick her up. 

“You will not, but. If you think of declining, your family will perish. Isabelle is a beautiful little girl, It be a shame to get blood on that pretty little dress,” He moved his collar open a little, his visor making it impossible to see his expression, but Malchriant could tell he’d be grinning, “And Patricia, she’s a stunning woman..” 

Malchriant stepped up close to him, “Don’t threaten my family.” 

“Nothing will happen if you accept our offer, Malchriant.” 

Malchriant waved a finger at him, “Stop using my name, we are not equals-” 

“Shut up, Alchemist. Listen.” 

Malchriant shut up. 

“Alchemist, we are offering you and your dead companion to join us. We’re looking for some people; one in particular. Once we find them, we will need your touch to assist us.” 

“My touch?” 

“You can not only create life, Malchriant, but destroy it.” 

“You want me to kill them, who are they?” 

“That doesn’t matter,” the hunter said as he fixed his collar once more so it gaped open, Malchriant flexed his hands; kill with a touch? 

“Tell me one name, and I’ll do it. Just the one person you are looking for. That one you want me to kill so badly.” 

The hunted was sweating now, and Malchriant forced his gaze on the helmeted hunter’s visor; he swallowed audibly. 

“Her name is Sera, Sera Skye.” 

Malchriant nodded, and uncrossed his arms. The hunter fixed his collar so it was flat against his sweating chest. “So we have a deal?” 

Malchriant nodded, and then his eyes flared and he grabbed the hunter’s arm. His eyes widened when nothing happened. 

The hunter laughed, but his laugh was shaky. He was confident. 

“You can’t kill me.”  

Malchriant knew what he’d done wrong instantly; when bringing that man back from the dead, he touched his face, he touched his skin. The hunter tried to laugh, but Malchriant grabbed his gun. He reached for it and his gloved fingers wrapped around Malchriant’s. he let out a grunt and tugged as hard as he could, and Malchriant let go. He landed on the ground, and his helmet was knocked upwards a little, just enough for Malchriant to see the pink flesh of his chin. He reached down, stepped on the hunter’s hand that was preparing his gun to fire, and he kneeled on him. The Hunter’s air rushed out of his chest and he coughed, even though Malchriant was not a big man, he was just big enough to not be put under the scrawny category. 

Malchriant reached down and ripped the hunter’s helmet off.

He would’ve been no older then fifteen. 

“How did you get into this job, boy? You’re only a teenager.”

His face was smooth, and he was sweating bullets. His eyes were blue and large, he looked as if he was about to cry. 

“Please don’t; I don’t want to die.” 

“You’re a hunter!” Malchriant hissed. 

“I know!” 

“You threatened my family!” 

The teenage hunter started to cry. 

“I was told to!” 

Malchriant wouldn’t allow himself to hear any more; “Tell your boss I accept your offer, now leave.” 

He got off the hunter, and sat back, watching him put his helmet on and run off. 

He drew his knees to his chest and let out a shaky breath as he examined his hands. Wether he’d killed the hunter or not, his bosses knew that the only way to save his family would be to agree and accept their offer of killing this Sera Skye.

Even if she would be the only thing that could save him.